Umbrella-runner.



PATENTED OCT. 1l, 1904. M. GLBASON & J. ROGERS.

UMBRELLA RUNNER.

A PPLIOATION FILED MAY 23, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

.fr/gala pears when the umbrella is closed.

UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

MICHAEL GLEASON AND JOSEPH ROGERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

UMBRELLA-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,906, dated october 11, 1904. Appiiation ned may 2s, 1904. serial No. 209,249. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL GLEAsoN and JOSEPH ROGERS, citizens of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Umbrella-Runners, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to umbrella-runners, and has for its object to provide a combined runner and tip-retainer of improved construction containing means adapted to automatically disengage the upper and lower springcatches through the simple movement of a tipretainer.

A further object of our invention is to provide an umbrella which may be raised or lowered without the usual inconvenient manipulation of the spring-catches with the fingers.

Another object of our invention is to provide an umbrella which may be raised by a simple push upon a tip-retainer without the necessity of putting the hand up under the cover or among the ribs.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages vof the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved combined runner and tipretainer as it appears When the umbrella is raised. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the runner and tip-retainer as it appears When the umbrella is extended. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, but with the tipretainer and catch-operator drawndown to disengage the catch and permit-the umbrella to be lowered by a continued pull. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the runner as it ap- Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the runner as it appears when the umbrella is closed. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, but with the tip-retainer and catch-operator pushed up to disengage the catch and permit the umbrella being raised by a continued push. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the runner. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the tip-retainer, catchoperator, and the connecting-rod. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the runner, taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 7

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the practice of our invention we mount upon the ordinary umbrella-rod 1 a runner 2, to which are attached in the usual manner stretchers 3. The runner 2 is constructed of a length suiicient to reach from the ends of the stretchers 3, to which it is attached, to and somewhat beyond the tips of the ribs when the umbrella is closed. Within the runner 2 is formed one or more openings 4, adapted to engage the spring-catches 5 and 6 to hold the umbrella, respectively, in an open and closed state. Within the runner 2 is also formed another opening 7, extending longitudinally with the runner and throughout a portion of its length and having its longitudinal edges raised to form lips 8. l

About runner 2 above opening 7 and covering opening 4 is disposed a catch-operator 9, which has the form of a cylinder somewhat larger in size than runner 2 and with each end tapered, as shown at 10 and 11, to form openings approximating the external diameter of the runner 2. Upon the lower end of runner 2 is slidably mounted a tip-retainer 12 of any approved form and connected with the catchoperator 9 by means of a rod 13. The rod 13 consists, preferably, of a strip of sheet metal secured at one end to the tip-retainer 12 and at the other to the catch-operator 9 and passing between and being held in position by lips 8.

The operation of our improved umbrellarunner and its tip-retainer is as follows: With the umbrella raised, -as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and it being desired to close it, instead of the inconvenient method'in common use of manipulating the springs with the lingers the tip-retainer 12 is simply grasped by the hand, a slight pull exerted. The pull upon the tip-retainer 12 communicates through rod 13 a longitudinal downward displacement to IOO the catch-operator 9. The downward movement oi' the catch-operator 9 brings the -tapered portion 10 into contact with catch 5, forcing it out of engagement with opening 4C, as shown in Fig. 3, when a continued pull or the spring of the ribs will complete the closing operation. When the closing is completed, the tips may be gathered together and the retainer l2 slipped upward to embrace them. When it is desired to raise the umbrella, the tip-retainer is slipped out of engagement with the tips and in the position shown at Figs. 4 and 5, when the spring of the ribs will throw the tips outward. rlhe tip-retainer is next pushed upward, moving rod 13 and catch-operator 9. rlhe movement or' the catch-operator 9 brings taper ll into contact with catch 6, as shown at Fig. 6, which serves to force the catch out of engagement with opening' 4, when a continued push opens the umbrella.

It is obvious that the tip-retainer and catchoperator might be otherwise connected, as by a cylinder entirely and slidabl y embracing the runner, and that other changes might be made Without departing from the spirit et our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as novel, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a device of the character described, the combination of a runner provided with a catch-engaging' opening therein, a cylindrical catch-operator provided with a reduced tapered portion at each end slidably mounted thereon and covering said opening, a tip-retainer slidably mounted upon said runner, and a bar rigidly connecting said tip-retainer and catch-operator.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylindrical ruimer provided with a catch-engaging opening therein near one end, a cylindrical catch-operator provided With a reduced tapered portion at each end slidably mounted upon one end thereorl and covering said opening, a tip-retainer slidably mounted upon the other end of said runner, upstanding lips forming guideways disposed upon said runner between the catchoperator and tip-retainer, and a bar slidably mounted between said lips rigidly connecting said catch-operator and tip-retainer and all so disposed that a sliding movement of the tipretainer in either direction upon the runner manipulates the catch-operator to disengage the runner and permit of the opening' and closing or' the umbrella.

SAMUEL EMunsoN, Jol-1N C. NVAUDELL. 

